That summer, my dear wifes younger sister came to visit us. Among the family, I used to jokingly call her the family pet, for at every gatheringbe it Sunday roast or Christmas teaMother, Father, and everyone else did nothing but sing her praises. She had achieved high marks at school, graduated from a good university, and secured a respectable position in her chosen field. In their eyes, she was the very image of the model daughter.
Meanwhile, my wife, the elder sister, had left her studies unfinished and married early. But nobody seemed to mind, since I was considered rather well-off, having my own business. We owned a lovely flat, a reliable car, and enjoyed a comfortable income. Nevertheless, the beloved youngest daughter was still her sister.
So it was, during that memorable summer, that my sister-in-law arrived at our doorstep and asked if I might lend her some money. She explained she needed the funds for a deposit on a flat and wished to secure a mortgage, but hadnt quite managed to save enough herself. The sum she requested was no real hardship for me, so I gladly agreed to help. She assured me she worked for a government office and would repay the money punctually.
She took the loan, and nearly made a solemn vow to pay it back month by month. Yet scarcely a week later, she departed for a seaside holiday. To be honest, I was rather baffled. It struck me as odd that someone whod needed help for a flat deposit suddenly discovered the means for a jaunt to the coast.
She claimed shed been saving all year for the trip, telling every family member the same. However, there was one curious point: she hadnt applied for a mortgage after all. When I questioned her, she simply said shed changed her mind.
I politely asked for the money back, explaining Id lent it with the understanding it was for a property, not a holiday by the sea. Her reply wounded me deeply: Ill be earning plenty soon, you can wait a bit longer, theres no money at the moment.
How do you suppose things ended? Quite as youd expect: she complained to my mother-in-law that Id asked for repayment before the agreed time, insisting that no decent relation would treat family so harshly. As a result, the youngest again wore her angels halo, and we were cast as the rich ogres of the family.
